Miss A Columnist

Andrea Rodgers is the Founder of Miss A (AskMissA.com), which covers the intersection of charity and lifestyle for 1.5 million unique readers annually. Based in Washington, DC, Miss A has a presence in 21 U.S. cities with 30 editors and hundreds of writer. Andrea was inspired after 9/11, and became heavily involved in Washington’s charity circuit in an effort to give back to the community. At the core of the Miss A brand is Andrea’s personal belief in the positive power of volunteering and charity — not only to benefit those less fortunate, but to improve the individual, business or brand that gives their time, money and energy to a cause. AskMissA.com serves as a technological platform which connects editors, writers and readers around this core belief and shines a spotlight on the best nonprofits, charity events, cause marketing campaigns and philanthropic & stylish people, businesses and brands to inspire others to get involved.

Andrea Rodgers is a member of the Vogue 100, a hand-selected group by Vogue magazine of 100 influential decision makers and opinion leaders across the country known for their distinctive taste in fashion & culture. She has been featured in Vogue, W and Allure, CNN, Fox News, NOS Dutch Public Broadcasting, TV Tokyo, France 24, Alhurra, USA Today, Washington Post & Politico.

Both Beauty Maintenance And Press Coverage Are Not For Wimps

Being Injected with Juvederm Ultra Plus and Holding on to my Bestfriend, Mike Carson for Dear Life

If you aren’t a friend or fan of mine on Facebook, then you may not be aware that there is a story on me in Washingtonian magazine’s February issue. Most of my readers have read about my experience with Botox and Juvederm, about which I’m very comfortable and open. The Washingtonian article was written by Cathy Alter, who wrote a hysterically funny book,Up for Renewal: What Magazines Taught Me About Love, Sex and Starting Over. You HAVE to read the book. It is laugh out loud funny. So funny and entertaining that you can’t put it down, and people sitting next to you on an airplane will wonder what is so damn funny. I’ve never laughed so hard while reading!

The Washingtonian article follows me during a typical week, and Cathy accompanies me along my adventures in beauty maintenance —

from Old Town to Georgetown to Chevy Chase. I took Cathy with me to see Melanie Erb, CRNP at Hela Spa in Georgetown for Botox, Juvederm and Latisse; R.N. Mildred Duhaney for IPL and Tysha Talavera for eyebrows at Back to Health in Old Town Alexandria; Neven Radovic at Ted Gibson Salon for color and blowdry, and Jessica Dunaway at Ted Gibson for makeup.

Mirror, Mirror Upon the Wall...

I liked the article very much, and was honored to have such a talented author feature me in an article. However, my mother was appalled when she initially read the magazine article, which I scanned and emailed to her. She was so worried about me. She was shocked that I would stoop to seeking out a Sugar Daddy to continue getting Botox, Juvederm, and other beauty maintenance, should I not be able to afford these things myself. She worried about what this said about my vanity and my morals. I had to calm her down, and remind her that I was the same person she knew before she read the article. Cathy asked me a hypothetical question. She asked what would I do if I had a low paying salary and couldn’t afford these things on my own. I was joking, exagerating and being dramatic in that section of Cathy Alter’s article. Heck, I even quoted Scarlett O’Hara with the lie, cheat, steal part. But I’m not sure the article made that clear–even to people who know me and know I joke in that manner. After talking with me, and reading the article again, my mother felt better about it, and thought it was good. She understands that one gives up control when interviewed by the media. It’s a double-edged sword.

Many of you may remember my writing about Sugar Daddy’s. I have written extensively on AskMissA.com that money can not buy love or happiness, and how women looking for Sugar Daddy’s online need to be careful about getting tricked (pardon the pun) into human trafficking. All this goes to show how quickly and easily the media can influence the way a person is perceived…even by one’s own mother.

I thought the part of the article where some girls yell out “Legally Blonde” was embellished, but Cathy reminded me that did actually happen. It happened in the parking garage at the football field when we got out of my car with Scarlett. Life sometimes is stranger than fiction!

The article is both informative and fun, and I hope my readers will pick up a copy of it! I highly recommend the businesses which were highlighted in the article, and in the sidebar. Although, Cathy didn’t go with me, I love going to Saks Fifth Avenue Chevy Chase to see Debra O’Malley at the Yves Saint Laurent counter, and Giannina Davis at the Giorgio Armani counter! Having makeup done at Saks is complimentary, but purchase is required.